Juniper RidgePort Alberni – BC. Island Timberlands bagan road construction into a formerly protected Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) for black-tailed deer in July in an old-growth forest near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, an area referred to by conservationists as “Juniper Ridge”. Juniper Ridge is an increasingly rare tract of old-growth forest filled with highly endangered old-growth Douglas-fir trees, sensitive ecosystems of brittle reindeer lichens growing on open rocky outcrops, and an abundance of juniper shrubs. The area, roughly 20 hectares in size, is a one hour drive from the town of Port Alberni and is located between Ash and Turnbull Lakes. This is a popular recreational area where many Alberni locals and tourists fish, camp, canoe, and hike. * Join us to advocate protection for BC's endangered old-growth forests and forestry jobs by signing the petition at www.AncientForestPetition.com!
• Photography by TJ Watt